Adult daycare programs provide companionship, social and physical activities, meals and social services. Some programs provide medical care for older people who have physical and cognitive impairments.

Impairments include stoke, diabetes, mental health issues, developmental disabilities, depression, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, head trauma, aging and dementia, including Alzheimer’s.

“My mother, Rose-Marie Lauborough, started attending Green Mountain a few years ago, after my dad died,” said Lou-Ann Lauborough, social services and intake coordinator at Green Mountain Adult Day Health, Bremerton. “She has Alzheimer’s. She was depressed, isolated, and sleeping a lot. Exercise and social contact pulled her out of her depression. When she came to Green Mountain, she walked very short distances. At the last Alzheimer’s Memory Walk, she walked 1.3 miles with her walker.”

Rose-Marie lives with her daughter, Lou-Ann.

Families compose 80 percent of the caregivers in the United States. Some work outside the home. Others need breaks from day-to-day responsibilities. They are tired and overwhelmed. Stress may be affecting their health. Sixty-one families use the services of Green Mountain Adult Day Health.

“Our participants range from 18 to 94,” said Julie Gulas, center director. “Our services include therapeutic activities, such as daily living skills training, exercise programs, music and gardening. Personal care includes showers, feeding and incontinence care. We offer rehabilitation services.”

Alzheimer’s communities also offer adult daycare.

“Our program at Marine Courte provides adult daycare to people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias,” said Krista Marti, administrator of Marine Court Memory Care Community and Bay Pointe Retirement Community, Bremerton. “We provide health services and a secure and cheerful environment. We tailor activities, encouraging socialization and enhancing self-esteem.”

A self-esteem activity is writing postcards to family members.

“Writing postcards makes our people happy,” said Sherlock Lewis, program coordinator at Marine Courte. “Postcards help bring family bonds closer.”

If handwriting is illegible, staff rewrites messages on separate sheets of paper.”

“At Harbor House Alzheimer’s Community, 80 percent of our fulltime residents start out in our adult daycare program,” said Sigrid Howard, administrator of Liberty Shores Assisted Living Community and Harbor House Alzheimer’s Community, Poulsbo.

“People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may live at home alone for a while,” said Cathryn Goller, director of nursing at Harbor House. “Families ask neighbors, clergy and other family members to check on them. Families muddle through, finally get burned out and turn to adult daycare.”

Alzheimer’s impairment does not take away the need to have friends and time apart from family. Enforced family togetherness may be difficult for everyone, including people with Alzheimer’s. Although they are unable to dress or feed themselves, they often retain their ability to enjoy music, laughter, friends and simple activities.

“They make friends and share,” Goller said. “Someone may remind them of a friend from the past.”

The Kitsap Peninsula Senior Resources Directory publishes a list of adult daycare facilities. The directory is available at senior centers, or call 866-379-3710 for a copy.